Automatic gate.



PATENTED FEB. 26, 1907.

G. c. MASON.

AUTGMMTIGA GATE.

APPLICATION FILED .TUNE 5, 1906.

Msg www l/// UKW UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

AUTOMATIC GATE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 26, 1907.

Application filed June 5, 1906. Serial No. 320,265.

To (LZZ whom, t may concern:

Be it known that I, GARRETT O. MASON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Petaluma, in the county of Sonoma and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Gates, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in automatic gates; and it particularly contemplates an agricultural gate in which means are provided for effecting an automatic opening and closing of the gate by the passage of a vehicle over suitable tripping devices.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide in connection with a gate of the above general type novel and automatic means for regulating the degree and direction of rotation of the gate.

A further object resides in the provision of means for automatically setting said lastnamed means to perform its functions when the gate has been moved to a selected and predetermined position.

The detailed construction will appear in the course of the following description, in which reference is had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, like numerals designating like parts throughout the several views, wherein- Figure 1 is a perspective view illustrating a gate with its appurtenant elements constructed and arranged in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a central longitudinal section of the means for effecting a rotation of the gate in a selected direction and of the means for regulating the degree of rotation of said gate. Fig. 3 is a top plan view thereof. Fig. 4 is a top plan view of an element coperating with said last-named means to set the same in operative position, and Fig. is a top plan view of a novel supporting-bracket, and Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the gate-tripping means. y

In the practical embodiment of my invention the letter A designates a post from which the gate is rotatably suspended, and the letter B designates a post arranged opposite thereto and provided with a pivoted catch l) for engagement with a latch of approved form, carried by the gate C. The letters D and E represent posts arranged on opposite sides of the post A and in alinement therewith, carrying pivoted catches CZ and e, by which the gate is supported in an open position on either side of the post A.

Mounted upon the post A are supportingbrackets 1 and 2, which form elements of the gate-hinge and in this function cooperate with a vertical rod 3, loosely passing through alined openings in said brackets, so as to be free to rotate. The rod 3 is formed with a parallel offset upper end 4 and with a parallel bowed portion 5 adjacent to its lower end and disposed above bracket 2. The gate O is provided with rearwardlyextending arms 6 and 7, the arm 6 being formed with a round opening surrounding the offset 4 and the arm 7 being formed with a slotted o ening 8, loosely surrounding the offset 5. aid arm 7 is preferably formed with a slight curvature, as shown in Fig. 2, to facilitate positioning the gate to have a gravitating swinging action. The rod 3 projects through a pulley or sheave 9, supported horizontally upon the bracket 2 and in the preferred embodiment of the invention provided with bearings (not shown) for taking up the friction in the rotation of said sheave. The sheave 9 is formed with a radially-extending groove 10, in which the lower portion of the offset 5 rests, so as to afford a positive connection between said sheave and said rod 3 in the rotation of the former. The sheave 9 carries at a point on its periphery a pivoted gravity-dog 1l, which is designed to lock said sheave at selected points in its rotation, and to this end cooperates with a notch 12, formed in the periphery of said sheave and designed to be brought into registry with any one of a series of notches 13 formed in the curved or peripheral edge of the bracket 2. The arm 7 carries a depending V-shaped extension 14, formed with converging inclined faces 15 and 16, as shown in Fig. 4, which serve as cams for operative engagement with an upward eX- tension 17 of the gravity-catch 11.

The sheave 9 is provided adjacent the catch 11 with a transverse pin 18, spanning and spaced away from the peripheral groove 19 thereof. The pin 18 serves as a common connection for chains or cables 20 and 21, eX- tending on each side of the sheave 9. Mounted adjacent and at points beyond the posts D and E are sheaves 22 and 23, which swing upon eccentric axes and are counterparts in construction. The sheaves 22 and 23 are each provided with an eccentrically-disposed shaft 24, journaled in bearings 25 and provided between said bearings with a crankarm 26. The chains 20 and 21 each terminate in double ends 27, which have conneclOO tion with the sheaves 22 and 23 on opposite sides thereof.

In operation the parts are disposed as shown in Fig. 1, in which the gate C is latched at the post B. The apex of the extension 14 bears against the extension. 17 of the catch l1 and maintains said catch in the raised or disengaged position of Fig. 2, the notch 12 being in registry with the central notch 13. Assuming that a wagon approaches the crank-arm 26, carried by the sheave, 22 and depresses said crank-arm in the direction of the arrow in Fig. l, corresponding movement will be transmitted to the sheave 9 through the chain 20, so that said sheave will be rotated toward the post D and rotate the rod 3 therewith, the offset 5 approaching the post E and the offset 4 on the reverse side of said rod approaching the post D. This relative disposition of the offsets 4 and 5 in the inovel ment of the rod 3, as described, tilts the gate C in an angular plane, owing to the angles at which the supporting-arms 6 and 7 will be disposed upon said offsets. 'Vhen the gate C is thus tilted, it is released from the catch and will have a gravitating swinging action upon the rod 3 toward the post D, where it will be latched by engagement with the catch e. It is to be borne in inind that the sheave 9 has a sudden rotation and completes its movement before the completion of the rotatory in ovenent of the gate C, so that the catch l1 will enter into engagement with the notch 13 adjacent the 'post D and will restrict the movement of the sheave 9. As the gate C moves toward the post D the camsurface 15 will engage the extension 17 and raise the catch 1l to the position of Fig. 2. In the meantime the gate is latched at the post D b y the catch d. As the wagon passes on the other side of the gate it will engage the crank-arm 26 of the sheave 23 and will move said sheave in the direction of the arrow. In this movement the sheave 23 will swing on its eccentric axis toward the post E and through the medium of the upper end 27 of the chain 21 will rotate the sheave 9 and the rod 3 to the position of Fig. 1. It is to be borne in mind that the gate C as it swings toward the post D assun es a perfectly horizontal position and that when in such position the movement of the rod 3 by the sheave 23 gives said gate an angular displacement, so that the same will have a gravitating swinging action toward the post B. A wagon traveling in the opposite direction will engage the crank-arm 26 of the sheave 23 and Vwill swing said sheave rearwardly on its eccentric axis by the lower end 27 of the chain 21 and will reverse the direction of rotation of the sheave 9, and hence the gate C will swing in a reverse direction to that described; but the operation will be precisely the same as above set forth. Continued movement of the vehicle actuates the sheave 22 to swing the same"forwardly on'its eccentric axis and by virtue of the upper end 27 of the chain 20 to swing the sheave 9 in the proper direction to store the gate to initial position. The movement of the sheaves 22 and 23 is indicated i in Fig. 6, and its forward or rearward movenient upon its axis will be transmitted to the chain connected therewith by the respective upper or lower end 27 of said chain.

While the elements herein shown and described are well adapted to serve the functions set forth, it is obvious that various minor changes may be made in the proportions, shape, and arrangement of the several parts without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having fully described my invention, I claiml. A device of the type set forth, comprising a supporting-bracket, a sheave superimposed thereupon, a rod having positive connection axially of said sheave and journaled in saidphracket, said rod being formed adj acent its upper and lower ends with parallel i offsets on opposite sides thereof, arms carried by the gate and surrounding said rod at points within said offsets, means arranged on each side of said gate for imparting swinging l movement to said rod in either direction, an element carried by said sheave for locking engagement with said bracket at predetermined points thereon in the movement of said sheave and means carried by said gate for disengaging said element from said bracket when said gate moves adjacent to I said element. I 2. A device of the type set forth comprising a supporting-bracket, a sheave superimposed thereon, a rod having connection axially of said sheave and journaled in said bracket, said rod being formed with parallel oHsets on opposite sides thereof, arms cari; ried by the gate and surrounding said rod at points within said offsets, and means arranged on each side of the gate for imparting l swinging movement to said rod in either di- I rection, said means comprising sheaves journaled on eccentric axes, tripping-arms carried by saidaxes and flexible connections leading from opposite points on each of said last-named sheaves to a common connecting- I point on said first-named sheave.

3. A device of the type set forth comprising a supporting-bracket, a sheave superimposed thereon, a rod having connection axially of said sheave and journaled in said bracket, said rod being formed with parallel offsets on opposite sides thereof, arms car- I ried by the gate and surrounding said rod at points within said offsets, said bracket being formed in its edge with a plurality of notches arranged in annular series, said sheave being formed with a single peripheral notch, a gravity-catch pivoted to said sheave above l l l IOC IOS

IIO

said notch, all of said notches being designed l to successively enter into registry with said last-named notch, means carried by the gate for engaging said catch to disengage the same trom said notches in their registering relation, and means arranged on each side of the gate for imparting swinging movement to said rod in either direction.

4. A device of the type set forth comprising a stationary support, a rod journaled therein, a gate loosely suspended from said rod, means for rotating said rod in a selected l direction, an element movable with said rod for interlockingly engaging said support and an element carried by said gate for tripping I5 said last-named element out of engagement with said support.

In testimony whereor1 I aHiX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

GARRETT C. MASON.

Witnesses:

S. Z. PEoPLEs, J. I, S. PEoPLEs. 

